In the US, prominent bishop of AME Zion Church suspended, faces financial accusations
RNS A former top bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church has been suspended and is awaiting trial. He faces accusations of mishandling millions of dollars in transactions related to congregations, the denomination’s bishops announced. “[T]he Board of Bishops announces the immediate suspension of Staccato Powell as an active Bishop of the AME Zion […]
Sight-Seeing: How to make a pilgrimage into 2021
WES GRANBERG-MICHAELSON, former general secretary of the Reformed Church in America and author of ‘Without Oars: Casting Off Into a Life of Pilgrimage’ reflects on the idea of pilgrimage as we enter a new year…
Southern Baptist leaders meet after critical race theory document caused controversy
RNS Southern Baptist Convention officials admitted it would have been better if they’d contacted Black leaders of their denomination before issuing a statement decrying critical race theory, which led to the departure of several Black pastors. In response to weeks of reaction to the statement and a request for a meeting from the SBC’s National […]
China denies coercive birth control measures in Xinjiang
Beijing, China AP A Chinese official on Monday denied Beijing has imposed coercive birth control measures among Muslim minority women, following an outcry over a tweet by the Chinese Embassy in Washington claiming that government polices had freed women of the Uighur ethnic group from being “baby-making machines”. Xu Guixiang, a deputy spokesperson for the […]
Pope Francis opens a small but significant door for women in the Catholic Church
Vatican CityRNS Pope Francis gave a significant, though small, nudge in favour of greater female participation in the Catholic Church on Monday, with a new document clarifying women’s access to the ministry of lector and acolyte. Many Catholic churches and communities already allow lay women to serve as an acolyte at the altar, read the […]
Global coronavirus cases surpass 90 million in battle on new variant
Reuters Worldwide coronavirus cases surpassed 90 million on Monday, according to Reuters tally, as nations around the globe scramble to procure vaccines and continue to extend or reinstate lockdowns to fight new coronavirus variants. The new COVID-19 variants discovered initially in the United Kingdom and South Africa are rapidly spreading globally. A healthcare worker of […]
US House Democrats to pursue impeachment if Trump not removed
Washington DC, USReuters US House of Representatives Democrats plan a vote on Monday to urge Vice President Mike Pence to take steps to remove President Donald Trump from office after his supporters’ deadly storming of the Capitol, before attempting to impeach him again. The plan, spelled out by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a letter […]
Mixed signals for North Korean leader’s sister as Kim seeks to cement power
Seoul, South KoreaReuters The name of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s sister was missing from a new list of the ruling Workers’ Party’s powerful politburo, according to state media KCNA on Monday, sending mixed signals about her status after years of increasing clout. The party held elections on Sunday for its Central Committee during its […]
On the Screen: ‘Soul’ sparkles with life
MARCUS CHEONG watches Pixar’s latest animated film, ‘Soul’…
US to designate Yemen’s Houthi movement as foreign terror group as soon as Monday – sources
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia/Washington DC, USReuters The United States plans to designate Yemen’s Houthi movement as a foreign terrorist organization, three sources familiar with the matter said, a move that diplomats and aid groups worry could threaten peace talks and complicate efforts to combat the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. The decision to blacklist the Iran-aligned group, […]